Amalgamator.



LOUIS G. LAURENT, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

AMALGAMATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application filed September 8, 1905. Serial No. 277,598.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS C. LAURENT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the cit and county of Denver and State of C0 orado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descri tion of the invention, such as will enable ot iers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

M invention relates to improvements in ama gamators, my object being to separate the free gold from placer material or pulverized rock, in an efficient and economical manner.

My further object is to provide an a1nalgamator in which all of the values shall be caught in recesses containing liquid mercury, the recesses being arranged at suitable intervals upon an inclined surface composed of glass so that no mineral will lodge upon the spaces between the mercury recesses. This construction is distinguished from the ordinary amalgamator containing plates coated with mercury, by reason of the fact that in the old construction the values are distributed over the entire surface of the mercury coated plates; while in my improved construction the values or amalgam are all contained in the recesses or pockets, thus greatly facilitating the operation of cleaning up).

Having riefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail reference being made to the accom. anying drawing in which is illustrated an em odiment thereof.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved amalgamator. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 Fig. 1.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a table composed of glass, the entire table being cast in a single piece constituting an integral device. This table is provided with a central longitudinal rib 6 which extends from the head or upper extremity thereof to a point just above a'mercury recess 7 extending the entire width of the table. Below the recess 7 is a similar recess 8. These two recesses 7 and 8 are adapted to catch any values which may have escaped from the upper portion of the table. They are also adapted to catch any liquid mercury or any amalgam that may overflow from the recesses on the portion of the table above.

The rib 6 divides the table into twin compartments. Each of these compartments is provided with a number of transverse recesses 9 containing liquid mercury. The function of these mercury recesses, is to take up the free precious metal values as the material passes dowmvardly upon the table. By virtue of the spaces 10 upon the table which is composed of glass as aforesaid, the values pass readily thereover, being all caught in the mercury recesses as heretofore explained.

The head of the table is mounted upon standards 12 each of which is provided at its upper extremity with a pivot 13 which enters a counterpart recess formed in the body of the table. The lower extremity of the table is provided on each side with a nut 14, in whichis threaded an adjusting screw 15 having a crank 16 at its upper extremity. The lower extremity of each screw engages a step box 17. By turning these screws the lower extremity of the table may be raised and lowered at will whereby its inclination may be regulated as desired.

\"Vhen in use the material is fed to the table in any suitable manner. A chute 18 indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 may be employed. Ordinarily this chute will discharge upon both sides of the central rib 6. When, however, it is desired to clean up on one side of the table, the discharge may be all upon the opposite side. In this way the table may be used continually since the clean-up may be upon one side at a time. The inclination of the table is such that as the material is fed thereon in the form of pulp, that is to say mixed with water in the necessary quantity to give it the proper consistency, it flows downwardly from the head to the foot of the table. During this operation the free precious metal values are caught in the recesses 9. The recess 7 at the lower extremity of the rib 6 may if desired contain liquid mercury during the early stages of the operation. In this event any values which may have escaped from the recesses 9 will be caught in the recess 7. It is preferred that at the beginning of the operation the lowermost recess 8 will be empty thus leaving it in condition to catch any possible overflow of mercury or amalgam that may escape from any of the upper recesses. After the mercury within the recesses has caught a suflicient quantity of values, the amalgam may be removed from the recesses of the compartment separately as heretofore indicated, the material being fed upon one side of the rib 6 While the clean-up is going on on the opposite side. During the clean-up from the recesses 7 and 8, the feed from the chute 18 of the table should be interrupted. The gangue which passes over the lower extremity of the table is caught in a trough 19 which may lead to any desired location.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

An amalgamator comprising" a solid table Whose upper surface is provided at intervals with mercury-containing recesses or pockets, a central longitudinally disposed rib dividing the surface of the table into tWo compartments, and the lower extremity of the table being provided With mercury recesses and pockets which extend the entire Width of the table the whole being composed of a solid unitary piece of glass.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two, witnesses.

LOUIS C. LAURENT. Witnesses:

DENA NELsoN, A. J. OBRIEN. 

